Ars Combinatoria

ISSN 0381-7032 (print), 2817-5204 (online)

Ars Combinatoria is the oldest Canadian journal of combinatorics, established in 1976, dedicated to advancing combinatorial mathematics through the publication of high-quality, peer-reviewed research papers. Over the decades, it has built a strong international reputation and continues to serve as a leading platform for significant contributions to the field.
Open Access:  The journal follows the Diamond Open Access model—completely free for both authors and readers, with no article processing charges (APCs)
Publication Frequency: From 2024 onward, Ars Combinatoria publishes four issues annually—in March, June, September, and December.
Scope: Publishes research in all areas of combinatorics, including graph theory, design theory, enumeration, algebraic combinatorics, combinatorial optimization and related fields.
Indexing & Abstracting:  Indexed in MathSciNet, Zentralblatt MATH, and EBSCO, ensuring wide visibility and scholarly reach.
Rapid Publication: Submissions are processed efficiently, with accepted papers published promptly in the next available issue.
Print & Online Editions: Issues are available in both print and online formats to serve a broad readership.

Spencer P. Hurd1, Dinesh G. Sarvate2
1The Citadel, Department of Mathematics and CS Charleston, SC, 29409,
2University of Charleston, Department of Mathematics Charleston, SC, 29424,
Abstract:

We correct an earlier theorem and reprove its consequences regarding \(c\)-BRDs with \(v \equiv 5, 8 \pmod{12}\). The original conclusions remain valid.

Yen-Chi Chen1, Hung-Lin Fu1, I-Fan Sun1
1Department of Applied Mathematics National Chiao Tung University Hsin Chu, Taiwan, R.0.C.
Abstract:

The type of a vertex \(v\) in a \(p\)-page book-embedding is the \(p \times 2\) matrix of nonnegative integers

\[{r}(v) =
\left(
\begin{array}{ccccc}
l_{v,1} & r_{v,1} \\
. & . \\
. & . \\
. & . \\
l_{v,p} & r_{v,p} \\
\end{array}
\right),\]

where \(l_{v,i}\) (respectively, \(r_{v,i}\)) is the number of edges incident to \(v\) that connect on page \(i\) to vertices lying to the left (respectively, to the right) of \(v\). The type number of a graph \(G\), \(T(G)\), is the minimum number of different types among all the book-embeddings of \(G\). In this paper, we disprove the conjecture by J. Buss et al. which says for \(n \geq 4\), \(T(L_n)\) is not less than \(5\) and prove that \(T(L_n) = 4\) for \(n \geq 3\).

M.V. Subbarao1, V.V. Subrahmanya Sastri2
1University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta TOG 2G1 Canada
2SSS Institute of Higher Learning Anastapur, A.P. 515003 India
Oswaldo Araujo1, Juan Rada1
1Departamento de Matemidticas, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Los Andes, 5101 Mérida, Venezuela
Abstract:

Let \(T\) be a chemical tree, i.e. a tree with all vertices of degree less than or equal to \(4\). We find relations for the \(0\)-connectivity and \(1\)-connectivity indices \({}^0\chi(T)\) and \({}^1\chi(T)\), respectively, in terms of the vertices and edges of \(T\). A comparison of these relations with the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of \(T\) associated to its adjacency matrix is established.

Robert Jajcay1
1Department of Mathematics and Computer Science Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN 47809
Abstract:

Given a regular action of a finite group \(G\) on a set \(V\), we consider the problem of the existence of an incidence structure \(\mathcal{I} = (V, \mathcal{B})\) on the set \(V\) whose full automorphism group \(Aut(\mathcal{I})\) is the group \(G\) in its regular action. Using results on graphical and digraphical regular representations \(([2,7], [1])\), we show the existence of such an incidence structure for all but four small finite groups.

Ju-Yong Xu1, Wan-Di Wei2
1Dept. of Basic Science, Wuhan Urban Construction Institute, Wuhan 430074, Hubei,China
2Dept. of Math. Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064,Sichuan, China
Abstract:

For a finite field \({F} = {F}(q)\), where \(q = p^n\) is a prime power, we will introduce the notion of equivalence of subsets of \(F\) which stems out of the equivalence of cyclic difference sets, and give the formulae for the number of equivalence classes of \(k\)-subsets of \(F\) as well as for the number of equivalence classes of subsets of \(F\) by using Pólya’s theorem of counting.

Feliu Sagols1, Charles J. Colbourn2
1Electrical Engineering CINVESTAV, México
2Computer Science University of Vermont Burlington, VT 05405, U.S.A.
Abstract:

We present an algorithmic construction of anti-Pasch Steiner triple systems for orders congruent to \(9\) mod \(12\). This is a Bose-type method derived from a particular type of \(3\)-triangulations generated from non-sum-one-difference-zero sequences (\(NS1D0\) sequences). We introduce \(NS1D0\) sequences and describe their basic properties; in particular, we develop an equivalence between the problem of finding \(NS1D0\) sequences and a variant of the \(n\)-queens problem. This equivalence, and an algebraic characterization of the \(NS1D0\) sequences that produce anti-Pasch Steiner triple systems, form the basis of our algorithm.

Ping Zhang1
1Department of Mathematics and Statistics Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Abstract:

For vertices \(u\) and \(v\) in a nontrivial connected graph \(G\), the closed interval \([u,v]\) consists of \(u\), \(v\), and all vertices lying in some \(u-v\) geodesic of \(G\). For \(S \subseteq V(G)\), the set \(I[S]\) is the union of all sets \(I[u,v]\) for \(u,v \in S\). A set \(S\) of vertices of a graph \(G\) is a geodetic set in \(G\) if \(I[S] = V(G)\). The minimum cardinality of a geodetic set in \(G\) is its geodetic number \(g(G)\). A subset \(T\) of a minimum geodetic set \(S\) in a graph \(G\) is a forcing subset for \(S\) if \(S\) is the unique minimum geodetic set containing \(T\). The forcing geodetic number \(f(S)\) of \(S\) in \(G\) is the minimum cardinality of a forcing subset for \(S\), and the upper forcing geodetic number \(f^+(G)\) of the graph \(G\) is the maximum forcing geodetic number among all minimum geodetic sets of \(G\). Thus \(0 \leq f^+(G) \leq g(G)\) for every graph \(G\). The upper forcing geodetic numbers of several classes of graphs are determined. It is shown that for every pair \(a,b\) of integers with \(0 \leq a \leq b\) and \(b \geq 1\), there exists a connected graph \(G\) with \(f^+(G) = a\) and \(g(G) = b\) if and only if \((a, b) \notin \{(1, 1), (2,2)\}\).

Robert B.Gardner1
1Institute of Mathematical and Physical Sctences East Tennessee State University Johnson City, Tennessee 37614 — 0296
Abstract:

We give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a decomposition of the complete graph into stars which admits either a cyclic or a rotational automorphism.

Rajender Parsad1, V.K. Gupta1
1IASRI Library Avenue New Delhi 110012 India
Abstract:

This paper deals with combinatorial aspects of designs for two-way elimination of heterogeneity for making all possible paired comparisons of treatments belonging to two disjoint sets of treatments. Balanced bipartite row-column (BBPRC) designs have been defined which estimate all the elementary contrasts involving two treatments one from each of the two disjoint sets with the same variance. General efficiency balanced row-column designs (GEBRC) are also defined. Some general methods of construction of BBPRC designs have been given using the techniques of reinforcement, deletion (addition) of column or row structures, merging of treatments, balanced bipartite block (BBPB) designs, juxtaposition, etc. Some methods of construction give GEBRC designs also.